The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

The Most Important Sentence in Gabriel Sherman’s Sarah Palin Hit Piece

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | 19 Comments

“While careful not to say anything that might make her rear her head, some in the GOP Establishment whisper that they hope Palin stays in Wasilla. She may be useful in raising funds and drawing crowds, but Palin’s unseriousness and carnival antics damage the brand. ‘There’s a big piece of the Republican Party that doesn’t want her to run,’ said one national Republican strategist.”

Really, let’s cut to the chase here. Some of the details in the New York magazine article just confirm what I’ve previously noted, i.e., Palin’s inaccessibility to the press, her tendency to rely on a small number of close advisers, etc. But this kind of dishy “behind-the-scenes” feature story wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the willingness of GOP insiders to badmouth Palin behind her back. And being badmouthed constantly by anonymous Republicans only increases Palin’s defensiveness. Why should she trust anyone, when it seems there is an incessant stream of tattletales running to whisper damaging gossip to reporters?

UPDATE: A friend wonders why I said nothing about this part of Sherman’s story:

The only real blip concerned her ghostwriter, Lynn Vincent, a writer for the Evangelical World magazine, whom Palin chose from a short list of candidates presented to her by HarperCollins. After news of Vincent’s selection leaked, critics seized on a January 2009 pro-life piece she had written for World titled “Black Genocide” — as well as her association with the co-writer of her 2006 book Donkey Cons, former Washington Times writer Robert Stacy McCain (no relation), who had a history of racially charged statements and associations — to claim that Vincent was racist. Vincent, who had collaborated on a New York Times best seller about racial reconciliation, told me that she was deeply hurt by the racism allegation and considered suing the Daily Beast for a piece by writer Max Blumenthal headlined “Palin’s Noxious Ghostwriter.” But when the media shifted its focus to Palin’s next adventure, Vincent dropped the lawsuit idea.

The problem with suing for libel (and as a journalist, I thank God for this) is that under the Sullivan precedent, it’s almost impossible for a “public figure” to win a libel suit. Like politicians and entertainers, an author is more or less automatically a public figure, thus requiring proof of actual malice. And as opposed to, say, a false accusation of criminal behavior, the charge of “racism” is damnably hard to disprove, which is why it is slung around so frequently in political discourse.

So there was no percentage in Lynn suing the Daily Beast, besides which going to court over what was clearly a third-hand guilt-by-association smear wouldn’t help Palin — and helping Palin was what Lynn was hired to do, after all.

And shame on those people who keep spreading malicious rumors that Max Blumenthal was arrested in a raid on a so-called “ladyboy” brothel in Phuket!

UPDATE I: Ian Lazaran at Conservatives for Palin debunks a lot of Sherman’s article, which repeats several previously debunked memes.

UPDATE III: Allahpundit ho-hums:

Poor Dave Weigel was so bereft of juicy tidbits from the piece for his “Those Darned Wingnuts” beat at WaPo that he was forced to highlight the fact that she writes her own Facebook posts and how she fits into TLC’s programming strategy.

Yeah, Dave: Tell your bosses to rename it “Those Darn Wingnuts.”

Category: Sarah Palin

Comments

19 Responses to “The Most Important Sentence in Gabriel Sherman’s Sarah Palin Hit Piece”

  1. theCL
    April 26th, 2010 @ 8:29 pm

    They did it to Robert A. Taft, they did it to Goldwater, they even did it to Reagan … The party has a 100-year track record of fighting against limited-government conservatism.

    Why? You limit government, you limit their power.

  2. theCL
    April 26th, 2010 @ 3:29 pm

    They did it to Robert A. Taft, they did it to Goldwater, they even did it to Reagan … The party has a 100-year track record of fighting against limited-government conservatism.

    Why? You limit government, you limit their power.

  3. kansas
    April 26th, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

    Makes me ashamed to be a Republican. But what other choice is there?

  4. kansas
    April 26th, 2010 @ 3:48 pm

    Makes me ashamed to be a Republican. But what other choice is there?

  5. chuck cross
    April 26th, 2010 @ 8:58 pm

    The Metropolitans don’t mind the Provincials, but they wish to keep them in their place. The think-tank wonks and those who package their wares into Joe-sixpack bulletpoints not only want someone who will do as they say, but communicate if effectively. There’s too much volatility in SP for their liking, and while they appreciate her ability to reach out and gather Provincial donations for their work, they’d prefer if she’d stay away from any legitimate leadership role.

  6. chuck cross
    April 26th, 2010 @ 3:58 pm

    The Metropolitans don’t mind the Provincials, but they wish to keep them in their place. The think-tank wonks and those who package their wares into Joe-sixpack bulletpoints not only want someone who will do as they say, but communicate if effectively. There’s too much volatility in SP for their liking, and while they appreciate her ability to reach out and gather Provincial donations for their work, they’d prefer if she’d stay away from any legitimate leadership role.

  7. Joe
    April 26th, 2010 @ 9:43 pm

    Plus I am sure someone, somewhere, did a reader poll on Sarah Palin to cover his or her butt.

  8. Joe
    April 26th, 2010 @ 4:43 pm

    Plus I am sure someone, somewhere, did a reader poll on Sarah Palin to cover his or her butt.

  9. Ran / Si Vis Pacem
    April 27th, 2010 @ 12:54 am

    Not to be a jerk, BUT, why bother? Sherman has no influence, and his employer is fast running broke. Gabe’s just a fart at a sewage plant.

    If this was a “hit piece” it’s a spit-ball on a tank. Palin will make-up her mind whether to run – and I hope she does.

    Cheers.

  10. Ran / Si Vis Pacem
    April 26th, 2010 @ 7:54 pm

    Not to be a jerk, BUT, why bother? Sherman has no influence, and his employer is fast running broke. Gabe’s just a fart at a sewage plant.

    If this was a “hit piece” it’s a spit-ball on a tank. Palin will make-up her mind whether to run – and I hope she does.

    Cheers.

  11. Mr.G
    April 27th, 2010 @ 2:08 am

    I like Sarah Palin. She has a great stage presence and knows how to communicate to a crowd. But, I’m not sure if I could support her for a run at the presidency. I don’t like the fact that she “pooh poohed” the idea of a third party trying to run any candidates for elective office and I’m disappointed that she’s been out campaigning for John McCain, although I suppose she did “owe” him a political favor.

    Mr.G

  12. Mr.G
    April 26th, 2010 @ 9:08 pm

    I like Sarah Palin. She has a great stage presence and knows how to communicate to a crowd. But, I’m not sure if I could support her for a run at the presidency. I don’t like the fact that she “pooh poohed” the idea of a third party trying to run any candidates for elective office and I’m disappointed that she’s been out campaigning for John McCain, although I suppose she did “owe” him a political favor.

    Mr.G

  13. TR Sterling
    April 27th, 2010 @ 8:02 am

    Funny that Lynn Vincent was hurt by the racism accusation but ’twas like water off the back of a duck for Stacy. (Lynn did go 10 and 10 with Paterico on the issue though) . I say you should get a sympathy hug from Sarah for stalwart support of her injured co-writer (who helped her obtain many millions on “the Book”). I would enjoy the vicarious thrill of a Palin-OtherMcCain blogger-hug. MUCH more valuable that an Alyssa Milano re-tweet! (Set your goals high, RSM!)

  14. TR Sterling
    April 27th, 2010 @ 3:02 am

    Funny that Lynn Vincent was hurt by the racism accusation but ’twas like water off the back of a duck for Stacy. (Lynn did go 10 and 10 with Paterico on the issue though) . I say you should get a sympathy hug from Sarah for stalwart support of her injured co-writer (who helped her obtain many millions on “the Book”). I would enjoy the vicarious thrill of a Palin-OtherMcCain blogger-hug. MUCH more valuable that an Alyssa Milano re-tweet! (Set your goals high, RSM!)

  15. Robert Stacy McCain
    April 27th, 2010 @ 9:45 am

    Funny that Lynn Vincent was hurt by the racism accusation but ’twas like water off the back of a duck for Stacy.

    My indifference was probably due to the fact that I’d already fought that fight and suffered about as much damage as anybody could. Also, my skepticism toward liberal PC views on race is so fundamental — probably because I’ve studied the history of the issue in such depth — that I am not exactly shocked when people who don’t know me label me “racist.” And, of course, whereas I had deliberately poked the hornet’s nest a few times, the only reason Lynn was smeared was because of her association with Palin.

  16. Robert Stacy McCain
    April 27th, 2010 @ 4:45 am

    Funny that Lynn Vincent was hurt by the racism accusation but ’twas like water off the back of a duck for Stacy.

    My indifference was probably due to the fact that I’d already fought that fight and suffered about as much damage as anybody could. Also, my skepticism toward liberal PC views on race is so fundamental — probably because I’ve studied the history of the issue in such depth — that I am not exactly shocked when people who don’t know me label me “racist.” And, of course, whereas I had deliberately poked the hornet’s nest a few times, the only reason Lynn was smeared was because of her association with Palin.

  17. Rich Fader
    April 27th, 2010 @ 8:14 pm

    I’d venture to say there’s at least as large a piece of the GOP who thinks the piece of the GOP that doesn’t want Sarah Palin to run not only can’t sell the GOP worth a damn, they’d have trouble selling blow and hookers to Charlie Sheen.

  18. Rich Fader
    April 27th, 2010 @ 3:14 pm

    I’d venture to say there’s at least as large a piece of the GOP who thinks the piece of the GOP that doesn’t want Sarah Palin to run not only can’t sell the GOP worth a damn, they’d have trouble selling blow and hookers to Charlie Sheen.

  19. She Works Hard For The Money, So Hard For The Money « Around The Sphere
    April 30th, 2010 @ 5:37 am

    […] Robert Stacy McCain: A friend wonders why I said nothing about this part of Sherman’s story: […]